Lobelia plant named ‘Sunlobericoho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Sunlobericoho’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large white-colored flowers; relative tolerance to high temperatures and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNLOBERICOHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunlobericoho’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and vigorous Lobeliaplants with large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in May, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinusidentified as code number 11Lob-2b, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identifiedas code number 11Lob-10-6, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan since May, 2013 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunlobericoho’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunlobericoho’ as a new and distinct Lobeliaplant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Large white-colored flowers.    -   7. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.    -   8. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Lobelia are tallerthan plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selectionhave blue and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus‘Sunlobecoho’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,205. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newLobelia differed from plants of ‘Sunlobecoho’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia had longer internodes than plants        of ‘Sunlobecoho’.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Sunlobecoho’.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had whiter flowers than plants of        ‘Sunlobecoho’.    -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia were more high temperature tolerant        than plants of ‘Sunlobecoho’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobericoho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobericoho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown in 15-cm containers during the spring and early summer in anoutdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘Sunlobericoho’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia            erinus identified as code number 11Lob-2b, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia            erinus identified as code number 11Lob-10-6, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; relatively dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at            potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 43 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 cm to 17 cm.            Diameter: About 1.3 mm to 1.5 mm. Internode length: About            2.1 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly            spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 mm.        -   Shape.—Broadly lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Shallowly serrate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A; venation, close to 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typically            arranged in terminal and lateral racemes; flowers face            mostly outwardly to slanting downward; freely flowering            habit with about seven flowers per inflorescence and about            440 flowers developing per plant; flowers bilabiate with two            upper petals and three larger lower petals.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants of the new            Lobelia flower continuously from May until October; early            flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four            weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers            typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers            persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 15 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7.1 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 7.9 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, mid-section.—About 2.9 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2.4 mm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3.6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4.6 mm.            Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to 2D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused            towards the base; two upper petals and three larger lower            petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About 6 mm.            Width: About 2.7 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Lower petals: Length, central            petal, beyond throat: About 9.8 mm. Length, lateral petals,            beyond throat: About 8.3 mm. Width, central petal, beyond            throat: About 5.9 mm. Width, lateral petals, beyond throat:            About 6.4 mm. Shape, central and lateral petals: Obovate.            Apex, central petal: Rounded. Apex, lateral petals:            Cuspidate. Margin, central and lateral petals: Entire.            Texture and luster, central and lateral petals, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and            lower petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155A.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 155A. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D; color does not            change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 94D; color does not change with development. Color,            throat: Close to NN155D; nectar guides, close to 144D.            Color, tube: Close to NN155D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at            the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 5.9 mm. Width:            About 1.6 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 138A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 4.6 mm. Filament color: Close to            NN155C. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 1.9 mm. Anther shape:            Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 84A. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 9.4 mm. Stigma shape:            Globose. Stigma color: Close to 86B. Style color: Close to            144D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Lobelia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Sunlobericoho’as illustrated and described.